WINDSOR – Bertie County law enforcement did some spring cleaning Friday morning.

The Bertie County Sheriff’s Office, the Aulander Police Department and Windsor Police Department combined to pick up 10 of 13 people they were looking for in a drug pickup dubbed &uot;Spring Clean 2005.&uot;

In the early morning hours of Friday, more than two dozen law enforcement officers gathered at the Bertie County Courthouse to disperse throughout the county to pick up suspects on charges relating to a year-long criminal investigation.

Detective Sergeant Frank Timberlake and Detective Kenny Gilliam of the Bertie County Sheriff’s Office coordinated the investigation.

&uot;I would like to thank all the people and departments that worked so hard to make this happen,&uot; Det. Sgt. Timberlake said. &uot;There are many hidden hours that go into an operation like this.&uot;

Timberlake also insisted the information obtained from the citizens of Bertie County made a huge difference.

&uot;I want to thank the citizens of the county for giving us the information that we needed to make these arrests,&uot; he said.

When officers left the county courthouse before 7 a.m. The first team went to a residence outside Aulander to serve a search warrant at 130 Medson Lee Road.

Once at the residence, Aulander Police Chief Jimmy Barmer and Sheriff Greg Atkins had the entire residence searched.

Helping with the search were Sgt. Charlie Harmon and Frank Massey and their K-9 Deputies DaKota and Buddy.

&uot;I especially want to congratulate our two newest K-9 Deputies DaKota and Buddy and their handlers Sgt. Charlie Harmon and Frank Massey on making their first in the line of duty finds of cocaine,&uot; Timberlake said. &uot;Both dogs and their handlers will be such an asset to the citizens of Bertie County in helping with our war on drugs.&uot;

As the officers searched the residence at Medson Lee Road, both dogs found cocaine – one inside the residence and one in a car parked in the side yard.

Thanks to that warrant and the work of the two canines, Jermaine Alan Coston, 28, of the residence was arrested and charged with multiple counts. Coston is under a $60,000 bond on charges of possession with intent to sell cocaine, maintaining a dwelling as a place to keep, store and sell cocaine and maintaining a vehicle as a place to keep, store and sell cocaine.

&uot;This started a year ago,&uot; Chief Barmer said. &uot;It started with a residence in Aulander, but there were targets throughout the county.

&uot;We used undercover agents to make buys off several known drug dealers,&uot; he continued.

Barmer said the arrests made for a good day in Aulander and Bertie County.

&uot;It’s a good day that these people have been brought into the judicial system,&uot; Barmer insisted. &uot;I am happy to see it come to an end, especially on a day where there were no injuries to the officers or the individuals that were apprehended.&uot;

While a handful of officers were working in Aulander, other officers were spread throughout the county picking up other suspects in the case.

Officers, including eight from the Windsor Police Department were busy picking up suspects.

&uot;I wish we had three times as many because there are three times this number in Bertie County, but it’s a good start,&uot; Windsor Police Chief Rodney Hoggard said. &uot;Kenny and Frank have done an excellent job with this undercover operation.

&uot;Anytime you can put someone behind bars for selling dope, it’s a success story,&uot; he added.

Sheriff Atkins and Chief Deputy John Holley each said they were pleased with the events of the day.

&uot;The Narcotics Division did an excellent job,&uot; Sheriff Atkins said. &uot;Any time you can take 13 people off the street selling drugs, it’s a successful day.&uot;

Holley echoed the thoughts.

&uot;I think the operation went very well,&uot; he said. &uot;I love it when we all get together and are all going out with the same objective. My feelings are simple: if you deal drugs, you need to be locked up.&uot;

Spending time locked up for Friday’s charges will be 10 people. They include:

* Wilson Harris, 56, of 333 Commerce Street in Aulander is under a $160,000 bond for four counts of possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine and sell and deliver of cocaine;

* Troy Lamont Powell, 16, of 822 Hexlena Road in Aulander is under a $50,000 bond for one count of intent to sell and deliver counterfeit control substance and one count sale of counterfeit control substance;

* DeShawn Gatling, 22, of 1813 Charles Taylor Road of Aulander is under an $80,000 bond for two counts of sale and delivery of cocaine and two counts of possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine;

* Jerry Lee Liverman, 23, 1606 NC 305 in Aulander is under a $50,000 bond for one count of sale and delivery of cocaine and one count of possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine;

* David Earl Cooper (aka &uot;Grand PA&uot;), 37, of 142.5 South King Street in Windsor is under a $160,000 bond for four counts of sale and delivery of cocaine and four counts of possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine;

* Terry Tyrone Blount, 23, of 124 Bell Street in Aulander is under a $65,000 bond for one count of sale and delivery of counterfeit controlled substance, one count of possession with intent to sell and deliver counterfeit controlled substance and one count of possession of firearm by convicted felon;

* Jerry Lee Lassiter, 37, of 123 Cedar Street in Aulander is under a $40,000 bond for one count of sale and delivery of marijuana and one count of possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana;

* Cornelius Aubrey Lee (aka &uot;D&uot;), 30, of 121B Railroad Lane in Roxobel is under a $50,000 bond for one count of sale and delivery of cocaine, one count of possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine and one count of simple possession of marijuana; and

* Ashley Nicole Wiggins, 21, 311 N Street in Smithfield, is under a $40,000 bond for one count of sale and delivery of cocaine and one count of possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine.

&uot;We’ve told people in the county to be patient when they’ve asked when we were going to arrest people,&uot; Barmer said. &uot;Today shows that patience can pay off.&uot;

Officers said the investigation would continue and more arrests would be forthcoming.